Probably the friend/s.o/other instructor first as I might not remember if they use an AAD (or if it's on). The student has one and it's on and it will fire at a higher altitude than the one that the other person might have.

But I guess that if this really happened you would realize that the student was unconscious and do something in response to that and there would never really be a moment of choice?

So I'm assuming the scenario is I have the job to release if it tumbles and my wife has the job to fix the funnel. right? (if not, I dump the student and then chase my wife - I have plenty of time)

but under the scenario above........

It'll take a bit of time to recognize that they both are unconscious, so I don't really have a choice. What I "see" is that my S.O. has failed to stabilize the student and has lost her grips.

At that point and hopefully I'm sticky close anyway, I'm on a beeline to catch the student. That's the job. My "assumption" is my wife is ok, but lost the student. So I go catch the student. It's not necessarily quick to recognize he's out, and dump him after a bit. Hopefully I don't waste any time thinking I can "wake him up". In some cases it might be hard to recognize if he's unconscious vs just froze up. The nice part is someone unconscious typically just "lounge chairs" and is likely easier to catch (even spinning) and relaxed enough to flip compared to a thrashing student "trying" to arch.

either way - even if I get him right away, it'll still eat up a lot of time.

Next step - 'where the hell is my wife'? Depends if I can even find her at that point.....

If I magically KNEW that both were unconscious - ......... they both have AADs. I suspect I'd get my wife, her canopy is MUCH less forgiving on opening than a student reserve and more likely to have an opening issue if she's not in a belly to earth position. And it's my wife. Not the most noble answer, but likely true. If it wasn't my wife, but just a friend with an AAD on the other side? I don't know......I think my training would just have me on the student out of reflex...

I always find out on any dive who doesn't have an AAD. Just habit. hard to tell what a person will do, but thinking about scenarios makes the decision quicker for those that have a plan.

Every AFFI that gets on an airplane with a student has made an agreement; to do everything in their power to protect that student. If the fact that your other JM is your spouse interferes with that responsibility, then maybe the two of you shouldn't be jumping together with students in tow.

Every AFFI that gets on an airplane with a student has made an agreement; to do everything in their power to protect that student. If the fact that your other JM is your spouse interferes with that responsibility, then maybe the two of you shouldn't be jumping together with students in tow.

Just my $0.02 but then again, I'm divorced

Damn. Beat meto it.

Folks there is no other valid answer.

OTOH, if it was my wife, go student. If it was my rich cougar, well....

If the fact that your other JM is your spouse interferes with that responsibility, then maybe the two of you shouldn't be jumping together with students in tow.

agreed, avoid the scenario that compromises you - you can see it in my post. But I answered the scenario presented.. I do think the scenario is a non=starter for reasons stated - I'm focused on the student and if something like two heads conk, I'd be after the student anyway long before I even recognize the other AFFI is knocked out.

Other parts come out from the question though on AFFI's

- we should have an AAD - we should be doing gear checks on each other as well as the student - we should wear hard helmets - we should realize that each jump has an unpredictable variable in the student and no AFF jump should be treated with complacency

- we should have an AAD - we should be doing gear checks on each other as well as the student - we should wear hard helmets - we should realize that each jump has an unpredictable variable in the student and no AFF jump should be treated with complacency

be confident, be prepared

Exactly. I haven't worked at a dropzone in a LONG time that does not require instructors to wear AAD's. I can also not remember the last time I saw an AFF instructor NOT wearing a hard helmet. It's just smart, good business practice.

Every AFFI that gets on an airplane with a student has made an agreement; to do everything in their power to protect that student. If the fact that your other JM is your spouse interferes with that responsibility, then maybe the two of you shouldn't be jumping together with students in tow.

Just my $0.02 but then again, I'm divorced

Sorry, I've NOT made any agreement to in any way "protect" my student. I'm there to teach, I'm there to try to correct any errors they might make, and I'm there to assist with stability and deployment if I can. I'm not there to protect. I'm not there to save their life.

Every AFFI that gets on an airplane with a student has made an agreement; to do everything in their power to protect that student. If the fact that your other JM is your spouse interferes with that responsibility, then maybe the two of you shouldn't be jumping together with students in tow.

Just my $0.02 but then again, I'm divorced

Sorry, I've NOT made any agreement to in any way "protect" my student. I'm there to teach, I'm there to try to correct any errors they might make, and I'm there to assist with stability and deployment if I can. I'm not there to protect. I'm not there to save their life.

Sorry, I've NOT made any agreement to in any way "protect" my student. I'm there to teach, I'm there to try to correct any errors they might make, and I'm there to assist with stability and deployment if I can. I'm not there to protect. I'm not there to save their life.

Glad I read his AFTER my aff lol.

the statement "any way" got my goat too. I still plan to pull on time and save myself first. Down to that altitude, absolutely my student is protected as follows: "I'll teach, correct any errors, assist with stability and deployment as best I can."

sounds a lot like ufk22, doesn't it? more real, and a lot less romanticized/dramatic than Deisel and Pop's portrayal. but really,,,,, we're all pretty much on the same page if you were to dig into the comments

We'll have to disagree on this one. Shit can go sideways in other situations as well (aircraft emergency, medical situation,etc.) and I personally believe that the instructor is there to take care of the student. Sure, we all have to save ourselves at some point. But up to that point the stu comes first. Please don't take for granted the fact that these people are quite literally (in their minds) trusting us with their lives. So are their loved ones. That's a big deal to me.

We'll have to disagree on this one. Shit can go sideways in other situations as well (aircraft emergency, medical situation,etc.) and I personally believe that the instructor is there to take care of the student. Sure, we all have to save ourselves at some point. But up to that point the stu comes first. Please don't take for granted the fact that these people are quite literally (in their minds) trusting us with their lives. So are their loved ones. That's a big deal to me.

Don't think I won't do anything I can for a student,but.... I don't want someone trusting ME with their life. I want my students trusting themselves with their life and I make sure they know that. That's not to say that their confidence in me and what I teach them isn't a factor in their success. Maybe because I've done S/L for over 15 years before AFF.

Oh, to answer the original question, once I'm out the door with a student, I only see my partner if they're where they belong in their slot. My focus is my student. When I've lost a partner, I don't even look for them til I'm under canopy. Don't think I would even know that they were unconscious .

1. Student should be jumping AAD gear. 2. As instructor, she probably has high performance gear, and being unconscious, she might die anyways from hard landing, where student gear is very slow. 3. The student is not going to thank you in the same way

Probably the friend/s.o/other instructor first as I might not remember if they use an AAD (or if it's on). The student has one and it's on and it will fire at a higher altitude than the one that the other person might have.

No, it should fire at about the same altitude.

In reply to:

But I guess that if this really happened you would realize that the student was unconscious and do something in response to that and there would never really be a moment of choice?

I've chased an unconscious jumper in freefall. I was so focused on the one person I don't know if I would have noticed a second unconscious person. It's a pretty intense situation.

Probably the friend/s.o/other instructor first as I might not remember if they use an AAD (or if it's on). The student has one and it's on and it will fire at a higher altitude than the one that the other person might have.

No, it should fire at about the same altitude.

Our DZO has Airtec program the student gear CYPRES' to go off at 980' (or somewhere in that ball park +/- 20')

Probably the friend/s.o/other instructor first as I might not remember if they use an AAD (or if it's on). The student has one and it's on and it will fire at a higher altitude than the one that the other person might have.

No, it should fire at about the same altitude.

Expert Cypres vs. student Cypres out of the box would be 225 meters vs 300 meters.